All News

July 30, 2012

PT6A-42A Turboprop Engines Will Continue To Power The Meridian Long-Term

Piper Aircraft, Inc. has reached a 10-year agreement with Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) for the continuing purchase of PT6A-42A turboprop engines to power Piper's flagship aircraft, the single-engine M-Class Meridian. Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott announced the accord at a news conference on the first day of EAA AirVenture 2012.

The Trig Aerobatic Team Will Fly Pitts S-1D Bipes

Trig Avionics, the makers of the general aviation 1090ES ADS-B transponder, are taking to the skies in 2012, courtesy of an American classic. An exciting sponsorship collaboration using vintage Pitts S-1D biplanes, flown by the acclaimed British Pitts Pair Aerobatic Display Team has just been announced.

Union Declines To Call It A tentative Agreement

With pilots and machinists soon to vote on new company offers, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants are planning to send AMR's latest offer to its members for a ratification vote. However the union stopped short of calling it a tentative agreement and, according to the Associated Press and the Washington Post, declined to indicate if the executive committee had endorsed the offer.

The Spirit Of Saint Lindy Book Scheduled To Come Out By Reno Air Race Time

While roaming the grounds at Oshkosh, I had a chance encounter with Kermit Weeks, owner of the world's largest privately, owned collection of vintage aircraft, famous pilot and now author too. His first book, All of Life is a School, featured plane characters like Gee Bee Zee, which is modeled after a Gee Bee.

Newly-Discovered Exoplanet Not In Its Star's Habitable Zone

Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have detected what they believe is a planet two-thirds the size of Earth. The exoplanet candidate, called UCF-1.01, is located a mere 33 light-years away, making it possibly the nearest world to our solar system that is smaller than our home planet.

DeLorme Provides Communications With SAR, Loved Ones

Perhaps it wasn't your day and you ended up landing out due to a mechanical or worse a complete engine failure. Your 121.5 ELT sent out a signal. Maybe someone was listening, but probably not. Maybe you sprang for a 406 and SAR is starting a rescue operation. Maybe you just want to let your loved ones know where you are or when you'll be home for dinner.

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Aircraft Based On the CN235 Tactical Airlifter

The U.S. Coast Guard took delivery this week of its 14th HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft from prime contractor EADS North America. The Ocean Sentry is based on the Airbus Military CN235 tactical airlifter.

Represents A 2,400 Percent Increase In Flight Duration

Lockheed Martin and LaserMotive recently demonstrated the capabilities of an innovative laser power system to extend the Stalker Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flight time to more than 48 hours. This increase in flight duration represents an improvement of 2,400 percent. Stalker is a small, silent UAS used by Special Operations Forces since 2006 to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Replacements For OEM Lead Acid Batteries

Minix Has New Wingtip Vortex Reducer That The Developer Claims Creates Thrust

The French company Minix (Minimum Induced Drag) has developed a new wing tip device that Christian Hugues, the patent holder and former university professor, says not only reduces, or in some cases eliminates, wing tip vortices but in the process of doing so actually produces thrust. Hugues says that the principle is fairly simple. It uses the forward part of the device to create a conada effect.

Legacy Carriers Expected to Match

United Airliines on Friday announced fare hikes of $4 to $10 roundtrip on most of its domestic routes. It is the first attempt by an airline to boost domestic fares in three months. While other airlines, like Jet Blue, have increased fares on select routes this week, United wants to extend this fare increase systemwide.

Tethered Experience On Your Bucket List?

Here's your chance to mark two items off your bucket list at once, a cruise to the North Pole and a hot air balloon ride while you're there! The ballooning experience is the latest offer from Quark Expeditions, a longtime leader in polar expeditions for tourists.

Also: Oshkosh Day One Coverage -- Part One Of Five Part Rod Hightower Interview

It was a big opening day at AirVenture 2012. At a news conference early in the day, we were introduced to the new owner of Glasair, Chinese investor Mr. Fang Tieji. Mr. Fang has many business interests in China, including FBOs but Glasair is his first foray into aviation manufacturing. He and former owner Mikael Via said the airplane would continue to be produced in the U.S. The prototype Vans airplane, the RV-1, was handed over to its new owners ... the EAA. It will be displayed in the AirVenture Museum, but kept in flying condition. The ceremony was held at Phillips 66 Pl

TM800 Engine Selected For The New Five-To-Six Tonne Helo

A contract was signed Monday between Turbomeca and Eurocopter establishing the TM800 turbo-shaft engine to power the X4 new generation helicopter. The Eurocopter X4 is a new generation 5 to 6-tonne helicopter. The future aircraft will be equipped with a new engine: the TM800 of Turbomeca, a turbo-shaft in the 1,100 shp (800 kW) category.

Be It Ever So Humble, There's No Place Like Home ... Well ... Sort Of

Says Two Networks Are Better Than One

Repairing American Airlines' dwindling share of the critical corporate travel market is a key to its success and a merger with US Airways is the only way make that repair. US Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker delivered this message in a speech to the National Press Club in Washington, DC last week where he made his case for a merger of the two airlines.

Inexpensive Turbine Power

Scott Ehni and Kary McCord brought a Zenith 701 to AirVenture, which wouldn't ordinarily be news, except their 701 uses a turbine for go-power. The first question I asked Scott was, “Why put an engine in an airplane that surely costs a great deal more than the airplane?” He stated that, “We actually built the turbine for less money than a high-end Rotax engine.” Wow! That got my attention.

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The Parent Company Of The Butterfly Gyroplane Has Changed Its Name

Larry Neal, owner and designer of the Butterfly Aircraft decided that Aerial Surveillance LLC would better describe his products to the world. With 7 different models of gyroplanes from the small ultra light to the massive 300hp Turbo Golden, they are now selling kits worldwide with dealers in several countries.

Also Announce New Part 135 Courses For Initial And Recurrent Trainin

John and Martha King are making free King flight training syllabi availible for the Private Pilot Certificate and the Instrument Rating. The King syllabi are targeted at independent flight instructors and their customers.

CAP Cadet Officer School Opens Tuesday

Civil Air Patrol’s Cadet Officer School, one of the top professional development opportunities available to America’s youth, will be in session at Maxwell AFB in Alabama this week. Maxwell AFB is the home of Air University and professional military education for the U.S. Air Force, making it the ideal venue to develop the leadership skills of CAP’s top cadets.

Experimental Aircraft Info

This site bills its self as a resource for amateur built aircraft owners and pilots of general aviation airplanes alike. There is a wealth of information about airplane and engine performance, pilot airmanship, VFR flight planning tips and other aviation aspects of interest to aviators.